Article produced by NXT
Photo by Stine Skøtt Olesen

The building industry is one of the greatest burdens on the climate and nature with significant consumption of CO₂, materials, and land. At the same time it provides the framework for people’s lives, communities, and well-being.

For more than a year, we have been deeply involved in the project called ATV Mission Lab for Regenerative Building, which is part of the Guide for a Resilient Denmark. The Mission Lab concluded with this guide that provides practical guidance and specific recommendations for decisionmakers and the industry. 

The guide outlines a vision for 2075, in which the built environment is planned and managed as part of living ecosystems and within planetary boundaries, so that it rebuilds and strengthens the planet’s, nature’s, and people’s ability to thrive and evolve over time. This requires a radical transformation across the entire value chain, where technology, innovation, regulation, and new forms of collaboration work in close synergy with changed practices and behaviours.

The guide identifies seven pathways for regenerative building, as well as five recommendations for key actors in the ecosystem - from public authorities and research communities to investors, consultants, and civil society. The aim is to establish a common framework on how to develop the building sector.  

Since the conclusion of the project, ACRB has served as a platform for ambassadors to continue the work of implementing the action plans.